Protein Calculator
Find your optimal daily protein intake based on your weight, goal, and activity level.
Daily Protein Target
84–112grams per day
Maintaining muscle mass needs moderate protein to preserve existing muscle while meeting daily metabolic needs. Consistent daily intake matters more than timing.
Per Meal Breakdown
3 meals / day
28–37g
per meal
4 meals / day
21–28g
per meal
5 meals / day
17–22g
per meal
High Protein Foods Reference
Chicken Breast
31g per 100g
Eggs
13g per 100g
Greek Yogurt
10g per 100g
Whey Protein
~25g per scoop
Salmon
25g per 100g
Lentils
9g per 100g
Tofu
8g per 100g
Cottage Cheese
11g per 100g
About Protein Calculator
This protein calculator estimates your optimal daily protein intake based on your body weight, fitness goal, and activity level. Protein is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall health — and the right amount varies depending on whether you want to build muscle, maintain your current physique, or lose weight while preserving lean mass. Use the per-meal breakdown to distribute your intake evenly throughout the day for maximum muscle protein synthesis and satiety.
Built and maintained by Meet Shah · Last updated
What this tool is used for
- Getting a daily protein target from weight and training goal.
- Comparing targets for maintenance against a training phase.
- Working out a per-meal amount from a daily total.
- Basing a target on lean mass rather than total weight.
- Producing a figure to discuss with a dietitian.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much protein does the evidence support?
- The RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, which is a minimum to prevent deficiency rather than an optimum. Reviews of resistance training converge on 1.6 g/kg for muscle gain, with little additional benefit above about 2.2 g/kg — roughly double the RDA for anyone training.
- Should the target use total or lean body weight?
- Lean mass is the better basis, because fat tissue has essentially no protein requirement. Prescribing per kilogram of total weight substantially overshoots for someone with high body fat, which is why per-pound-of-lean-mass recommendations are the ones used in the research.
- Does protein timing matter?
- Much less than the total. The "anabolic window" turned out to be hours rather than the thirty minutes it was sold as, and total daily intake dominates every meta-analysis. Distribution helps modestly — roughly even servings across three or four meals beats one large one.
- Is high protein bad for the kidneys?
- Not in healthy people. Controlled trials up to 2.5–3 g/kg show no adverse effect on renal function, and the concern originates from advice given to patients with pre-existing kidney disease, where restriction genuinely is indicated. The distinction is the diagnosis, not the intake.
- What is a complete protein?
- One containing all nine essential amino acids in usable proportions — most animal sources, plus soy and quinoa. Plant sources are typically low in one, but the old advice to combine them at every meal was retracted decades ago: the body pools amino acids across the day.
Common errors and gotchas
- Using total body weight where lean mass is the better basis, which overstates the target substantially.
- Treating a general recommendation as an individual requirement.
- Ignoring total energy intake, which determines what the protein is used for.
- Assuming more is always better, when there is a point of diminishing return.
- Using it as clinical advice, particularly with kidney or liver considerations.